Random Updates

So, I just got back from a few days south of Nürnberg in beautiful Bavaria (the eastern state of southern Germany) where I was for work. It is a beautiful area and regretably, I didn't bring my camera... so no pictures to go with this post. Actually, I thought you might like to get caught up on how things are going for us in general, so here goes:
Elena has passed the 3-month mark at her job in the pharmacy, which is the probationary period. Up until that point, they can let someone go quite easily if it's not working out, but apparently Elena's boss likes her! She still enjoys her job very much, and a week and a half ago her boss treated everyone to an elegant Christmas dinner at a very nice restaurant... unfortunately spouses were not invited.
I've now been working for a month and a half, and things are also going well for me. It's been an intense learning experience, especially having to adapt to a different language and measuring system than what I'm accustomed to working with. My supervisors are great to work with, and the work environment is pleasant. Working at a higher elevation is also interesting, as the weather is often very different from Balingen. It's funny seeing my plastic water bottle all scrunched up when I get home, and my ears stay plugged for a while afterward.
We've used a couple weekends so far to visit friends and relatives. Most we haven't had time to visit during previous trips to Germany, so it's been nice catching up with them.
I got the results of my German language test, and fortunately I did quite well. The certificate will now be tucked away for a few years until I'm eligable for German citizenship. Other than that, there's not much other use for it. But I'm glad I got it out of the way.  
I am also now in posession of a German driver's license. For some reason I had very much looked forward to this. Not that I have anything special to drive (Elena's 20-year-old Mercedes is still kicking), but for some reason a German driver's license has extra prestige, don't you think? Maybe it's because of the reputation of German cars or the fact that this is the home of the Autobahn. People know that Germans take driving seriously, and I confess I do love driving here. A very big perk is that a German driving license has no expiry date! The down side is that driver's license photos look just as lousy here as they do in North America. 

Scripture Readings on Public Radio

So here's something I found interesting: There are several public radio stations in south-western Germany which are funded by taxpayers. I often listen to SWR2 which has a lot of news and documentary programming, similar to the CBC in Canada and NPR in the U.S. They also play a fair amount of classical music in the morning. I personally think that just about any piece by J.S.Bach is the best music to start the day, but Baroque music in general makes my morning.
In the late afternoon on my drive home, the station usually has some kind of interesting documentary, investigative report, or high-brow political debate. But this week, every day at five minutes before five o'clock, a passage of the Bible is read to mark Advent. Yesterday the messianic prothetic passage in the 11th chapter of Isaiah was read, and today it was the parable of the ten virgins from Matthew 25.
Let's review: the German government is funding Scripture readings on public radio.
Huh? What about the secular Europe we've heard so much about?
Obviously I'm no expert on German culture, but I get the sense that much of the European populace is more comfortable with the influence of Christianity on its history than many in North America. Examples: If there is a Catholic or Lutheran church in town (the two officially, historically recognized denominations in Germany), an official sign on the main road will inform you of the service times. Every day I drive by a prominently-displayed sculpture of the crucifixion in the middle of a town, and have seen numerous plaques with Bible passages in public places. A common way to greet someone - friend or stranger - is "Gruss Gott": God's greetings.        
A popular public spot to take guests for good view of Balingen is Lochen, a high cliff featuring a large cross:

If this was in Canada or the U.S., I expect there would be some organization filing a lawsuit to take it down... and they would probably win. Why is it different here? I can't claim to know for certain, but I think it may have something to do with the fact that history is acknowledged and preserved. Be it old buildings or religious holidays, heritage is not quickly done away with in these parts. Regardless of what individual citizens believe, European history is inextricably intertwined with the history of Christianity - however unpleasant. Even the German language has been influenced more by the Bible translation of Martin Luther than anything else.
These are just my thoughts at this point, coming from a North American perspective. Maybe as time goes by, I'll have some better insights into the role of faith in public life in Germany.
Until then, I confess that I will relish hearing the Bible read on public radio...

The Best Coffee in Town

As I mentioned in a previous post, it is difficult to find bad coffee in Balingen, or anywhere in Germany for that matter. Most cafés and restaurants have an expensive pump-driven commercial coffee machine that will ensure a consistently decent cup of java. Being the obsessive type however, I have been on a hunt for the very best coffee in Balingen. The coffee fiends among you know what I'm talking about: a cafe with an unreasonably large selection of coffees from around the world which they themselves have recently roasted, and a true Italian espresso machine: the kind where you have to hand-tamp the grinds in a group head, not just press a button.
Okay, so I can't claim to have patronized all the cafés in town - that remains my lofty goal, however. But I have found a great café which is now my favourite, and from where we buy coffee to make at home: Kaffeewerk Zollernalb.

     
You know they take coffee seriously because patrons actually sit beside their roasting equipment and sacks of green (meaning not yet roasted) coffee beans. Among the coffees which I've tried so far, there is a clear favourite: Carmo Estate from Brazil. I don't know why, but I always end up prefering Brazilian coffees. Brazil's coffees are like its people: relaxed and easily approachable, but with flair and a certain something that is hard to put your finger on...  sorry, I drifted off for a second there with the music of Antônio Carlos Jobim in my head... anyway, back to Germany.
Something else that sets this café apart from the others is that it is an undertaking of a local organization which provides employment opportunities for the cognitively handicapped. It comes as a bit of a surprise on the first visit, but the staff are extremely friendly and helpful. It's nice to be able to support a meaningful organization while getting an exeptional cup of coffee at the same time, don't you think? If you visit us, I'll take you to it!
Actually, I think I'm going to go tomorrow; we're almost out of Carmo Estate...